AN air of uncertainty hangs over the normally quiet neighbourhood that may never be quite the same again.

Heybarnes Road and the surrounding streets of Hay Mills are typical of the suburban sprawl that makes up much of multi-cultural Birmingham today.

But the discovery of a would-be suicide bomber hidden in their midst has changed all that, and left an indelible bad taste in the mouth.

A day after police mounted their anti-terrorist raid on a nondescript house in Heybarnes Road, local people remain in a state of shock as they try to come to terms with events.

Youngsters continue to play or hang around on street corners, but there is only one topic of conversation among their elders.

Some are simply too afraid to be identified. Others speak of the fear that comes with the realisation that a one-time neighbour may have tried to blow up innocent people on the London underground.

Syeda Khatun, aged 29, who lives opposite the raided house, is typical of the local Muslim community caught up in the worldwide glare of the current state of alert.

After several hours of being evacuated from her home she said: "It's frightened me that this has come to our doorstep.

"I won't be able to trust anyone any more. It's come to that stage where you can't trust anyone.

"These people should not be sheltering themselves in our communities. They call themselves Muslims but Muslims aren't allowed to do anything like that.

"It's against our religion to kill people or to commit suicide."

Factory worker Saklan Mohammed, aged 28, added: "Everyone's scared that this person could have been living among the Muslim community. We just pray that everything will soon get back to normal."

Local Muslim community spokesman Tahir Alam said that there had been instances of verbal abuse targeting local Muslims since the explosions in London on July 7.

He said: "So far the negative reactions have been very low level.

"Birmingham has a very good record in multi faith religions and the vast majority of people realise this is the actions of a very small number of individuals.

"I think people are waking up to the fact that one of the would-be suicide bombers was living in our road. But this is a very peaceful community and we hope that will continue to be the case.

"I think most people have been shocked by this event. It's one thing to see it happening somewhere else but when the very same scenario comes to your doorstep the feelings and emotions are totally different."

The residents spoke after community leaders, the police and politicians united in appeals for calm and co-operation yesterday.

One of them, chairman of Birmingham Central Mosque Dr Mohammed Naseem, urged the Muslim community to co-operate with police but also vented fury at Prime Minister Tony Blair, who he called a "liar."

Dr Naseem called for the practices of law to be "open, independent and transparent."

He added: "That is not the case at the moment. Those who we have got orders from are not reliable. Tony Blair has told lies and in a court a liar is not regarded as a reliable witness.

"I am not saying the police are corrupt, but they are acting on orders which should not be allowed in a democratic country."

A large number of residents found themselves evacuated for much of yesterday to Saltley Community Leisure Centre, in nearby Bordesley Green, as a police cordon was thrown around the area and bomb disposal and forensic teams examined the property.

They included 21-year-old Vanessa Beards and her eight-month-old daughter Amelia.

Together with Vanessa's sister Yvette, 24, they were forced to leave their home in Heybarnes Road after police banged on their door at about 8.30am yesterday.

Vanessa said: "The police told us we had to leave straight away and I just had time to grab some clothes for the baby. She got really upset because she didn't know what was happening.

"You hear about these things in London but it doesn't seem so real until it hits you."

Vanessa who lived almost opposite the house where the terrorist suspect was arrested said she was aware of the man living in the area.

"To be honest, it's made me feel nervous that there might have been a bomb in there."